JPS6318520B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a method of operating a fully automatic washing machine when it reaches an abnormal state such as imbalance.

For example, if the laundry is shifted to one side during the dewatering process, an imbalance occurs in which the washing tub vibrates abnormally. Conventionally, in order to detect this imbalance, a switch or the like having mechanical contacts is provided outside the washing tub, and the detection means is when the washing tub touches this switch when the washing tub is abnormally vibrating. However, with this detection means, there is a problem in that the washing tub changes excessively due to the laundry being shifted to one side, causing a large abnormal noise to be generated. Further, in conventional fully automatic washing machines, for example, even though the noise level exceeds a certain level during the washing process, the noise continues for the normal process time, which is unpleasant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in order to avoid the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of operating a fully automatic washing machine that automatically corrects abnormal conditions and does not cause discomfort to the user. .

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

The drawing shows the configuration of a fully automatic washing machine that uses a microphone to receive minute abnormal sounds at the initial stage of unbalance during the dehydration process, and makes it possible to automatically correct unbalance under microcomputer control. 3 is an amplifier, 3 is an audio frequency filter for extracting a predetermined component, 4 is a microcomputer, 5 is a water supply valve, 6 is a drain magnet, 7 is an electric motor, 8, 9, and 10 are the water supply valve 5 and drain magnet 6 as loads, respectively. , a three-terminal bidirectional control rectifier for switching the electric motor 7, and 11 a DC stabilized power supply.

A microcomputer 4 plays a central role in the various process operations of a typical fully automatic washing machine, controlling the water supply valve 5, drain magnet 6, electric motor 7, and rectifying element 8.
It is controlled and operated via 9 and 10. In the dewatering process, the microcomputer 4 controls the control rectifying elements 9 and 10.
and drives the drainage magnet 6 and electric motor 7. In this dehydration process, the imbalance occurs. In this dehydration process, when the imbalance occurs, abnormal noise is generated as described above. Microphone 1 receives the initial minute abnormal sound when imbalance occurs, amplifier 2 amplifies the signal level to near the input level of microcomputer 4, and then audio frequency filter 3 filters out the frequency components that only exist when imbalance occurs. The signal is extracted and converted into a digital input level of the microcomputer 4. The microcomputer 4 is programmed to constantly check this input signal only during the dehydration process, and immediately controls the control rectifier 10 to stop the electric motor 7 after confirming the abnormal sound. Next, the control rectifying element 8 is controlled to drive the water supply valve 5 to perform a water supply operation, correct the unevenness of the laundry in the washing tub, and perform the dewatering process again.

If the initial minute abnormal sound when the imbalance occurs is detected, and the imbalance occurs again even after the imbalance is corrected, this operation is performed three times to confirm. If the result of this check is an unbalanced state, the operation is immediately stopped and an abnormality notification operation is started.

Further, by configuring the microcomputer 4 as follows, a fully automatic washing machine with low noise can be realized. That is, the noise generated by the washing machine is detected by the microphone 1, and when an abnormal sound exceeding a certain level of noise is detected, various loads are controlled to suppress the amount of noise to below a certain level. For example, if it is detected that the noise level exceeds a certain level during washing, the rotational speed of the electric motor 7 is lowered and the washing process time is extended by a predetermined period of time compared to normal times.

As explained above, according to the present invention, abnormal sounds can be detected and the abnormal state can be automatically corrected, so unlike current fully automatic washing machines, the present invention does not generate unpleasant sounds for the user. Improved usability. In addition, for example, unbalanced conditions in the dehydration process can be corrected at the initial stage of occurrence, so less tap water is needed to correct the imbalance, and the number of corrections required is also reduced compared to conventional methods. , suitable for energy saving.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawing is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a fully automatic washing machine equipped with an abnormality detection device according to the present invention. 1...Microphone, 3...Audio frequency filter, 4...Microcomputer, 5...Water valve, 6...Drainage magnet, 7...Electric motor, 8,
9, 10... Three-terminal bidirectional control rectifier.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Extracting frequency components that occur only when unbalanced using an audio frequency filter from the reception output of a microphone that receives the sound generated by the washing machine,
A method for operating a fully automatic washing machine, in which various loads such as an electric motor, a drain magnet, and a water supply valve are controlled by a microcomputer when an abnormal sound from the washing machine is detected from the output of the audible frequency filter. 2. A patent claim that stops the electric motor when an abnormal unbalanced sound generated by the washing machine is detected from the output of an audio frequency filter during the spin-drying process, then drives the water supply valve to supply water and performs the spin-drying process again. A method of operating a fully automatic washing machine according to scope 1. 3. Claims that, during the washing process, when an abnormal sound in which the amount of noise from the washing machine exceeds a certain value is detected from the output of an audio frequency filter, the rotation speed of the electric motor is lowered to extend the washing process time by a predetermined period of time compared to normal times. 1st
How to operate a fully automatic washing machine as described in section.